CJI brings back Justice Lokur as head of E-Committee

CJI brings back Justice Lokur as head of E-Committee NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India J S Khehar has reversed yet another decision of his predecessor and brought back Justice Madan B Lokur as head of the national E-Committee, which had pioneered infusion of information technology in judicial work. In November last year, less than two months before his retirement, then CJI T S Thakur had

"unceremoniously" removed Justice Lokur as judge-incharge of the E-Committee and had appointed retired Rajasthan HC Chief Justice Sunil Ambwani as chairman. The E-Committee was set up in 2004 to provide a guidemap for use of I-T and administrative reforms in judiciary. It was also to assist the CJI in formulating a national policy on computerisation of judiciary. Justice Ambwani resigned on Thursday after CJI Khehar made it clear that he wanted Justice Lokur to head the E-Committee. Justice Lokur was appointed on Friday. "I have to get back fast into the groove to achieve the goals set for the E-Committee," Justice Lokur told TOI.

This is the second time in less than three weeks of taking oath as CJI that Justice Khehar has reversed his predecessor's decision. The other decision of Justice Thakur -- to scrap the social justice bench headed again by Justice Lokur -- was reversed by Justice Khehar. The Justice Lokur-headed bench has since started hearing social justice related matters. The only change is that the bench, which used to sit once a week, is now hearing matters as and when they get listed for adjudication. Justice Lokur was appointed judge-incharge of the E-Committee on July 26, 2012. Under his guidance, the E-Committee put in place a National Judicial Data Grid for district courts across the country. This provides at a glance, the pendency of cases under various categories in each district court, thus allowing chief justices of HCs to issue remedial advice and direction to the district courts.

"I worked very hard for the last four years and the E-Committee has completed 97% of the work contemplated. We were on the brink of putting in place a National Judicial Data Grid for high courts. But I have been moved out by the CJI, who is the patron-in-chief of the E-Committee. It is his prerogative to choose the chairman of the E-Committee," Justice Lokur had told TOI.

Under Justice Lokur, the E-Committee had made meaningful contributions to make courts litigant friendly and lower cost of trial. The E-Committee, in consultation with HCs, has been able to install video conferencing facilities in 95% of the 830 locations. This would reduce cost of transportation of accused persons from jail to the court as the trial could continue through video conferencing link between the court and the jail. It was estimated to save Rs 100 crore to the government every year.

Apart from video conferencing facilities, the e-Project piloted by Justice Lokur had has ensured that litigants need not be at the mercy of their lawyers to find out about listing of their cases in courts. Text messaging services have been started in many courts alerting litigants about the next date of hearing soon after a hearing